Hunger strikes and mass protests have greeted the beginning of the school year in Hong Kong over plans by Beijing to introduce classes which critics say will “brainwash” children with the Chinese Communist party’s version of history.
Yesterday saw the sixth straight day of protests against the new “moral and national education” classes. By last night, eight hunger strikers had fasted for a third day outside the Hong Kong legislative council offices, while several more had dropped out because of dangerously low blood sugar levels.
New hunger strikers have been joining in relays, and Lam Man-wa, a spokesman, said the fast would continue “indefinitely”. She added that each striker “will last for as long as they can with the doctor’s approval”. The protests are now threatening to overshadow elections to the Legislative Council on Sunday.
